Last Stop Waterfowl Outdoors Podcast

What will duck hunting look like 20 years from now? Will the sport be better off, or are we slowly losing some of the things that made it special? In Season 10, Episode 13, we're taking a look at the future of waterfowling, from habitat and duck populations to public-land access, technology, social media, and the rising cost of the sport. Most importantly, we're talking about the traditions we're passing down and what today's hunters can do to protect tomorrow's opportunities.The future of duck hunting is in our hands.

Dry conditions are changing the start of duck season across the Mississippi Flyway. A look at where the water is, where it isn't, and how hunters are adjusting their plans for the openers.

From waxed canvas to robo ducks — 18 products that changed duck hunting forever.We run them oldest to newest: the Barbour waxed jacket, Browning Auto-5, P.S. Olt D-2, Stanley thermos, DuraCraft jon boat, Remington 870, Hodgman neoprene waders, Winchester Versalite choke, Duck Commander, Gore-Tex, Go-Devil long tail, Mossy Oak Bottomland, steel shot, the original Mojo Mallard, Mud Buddy Hyper Drive, Higdon Pulsator, and LaCrosse hip boots.Which product changed duck hunting the most — and what did we miss?

In 1999, Louisiana killed 2.5 million ducks — still the state record — and a whole season's licenses cost $31. So what happened?This episode runs the receipts, category by category: Licenses, Gas, Leases, Guides, Boats & Motors, ATVs & UTVs, Shells, Camo, and Dogs. Some of it just kept up with inflation. Some of it left the atmosphere — the motor alone today costs more than an entire 1999 boat rig did, and there's now a $310 pair of gloves.The rule is simple: a 1999 dollar is worth about $2 today. Anything past double means the sport itself got more expensive. And the leases are the category that prices people out — which raises the question at the heart of the episode: is duck hunting turning into a rich man's sport?

Every duck camp has the same cast of characters. We run through all of them rapid-fire — the kazoo caller, the greenhead purist, the Sitka fashion show, the camp chef, the whiskey thermos, and plenty more. Tag your buddy and tell us which one he is.

Here you go:Listener questions take over this episode. Surface drives , scouting and accessing public land, and early season hunts produce more juveniles — plus chokes, kayak blind setups, Catahoula, Maurepas Swamp, and more.We answer questions from the listeners and viewers

Opening weekend of squirrel season is in the books. Huge fox squirrels over two days at hunt camp — stalking them quietly on a hot, humid Saturday and Sunday morning as a front pushed through. Plus a hidden-gem country store in Innis, a stop at Juneau's Cajun Meat and Market, crawfish étouffée Friday night, squirrel gravy Saturday night, and a couple of birthdays around the camp.

Before the ducks, before the lease, before any of it — there was a single crack-barrel shotgun and the woods behind the house."In this episode, we go back to where it all started: squirrel season in Evangeline Parish. With the 2026 opener landing Saturday, October 3 (season runs through February 28), it's a look at the mornings that made a hunter — the unwritten rules of still-hunting, sitting quiet, listening, and reading the timber — and the lessons those woods taught that carry straight into the duck blind: patience, woodsmanship, and knowing when to move and when to sit still.There's also a look ahead to opening weekend at the camp where the ritual continues. And we want to hear your story: where did squirrel hunting take place in yours, and who first took you into the woods?

Want to finish more ducks over your decoy spread in 2026? In this episode of the Last Stop Waterfowl Outdoors Podcast, I’m breaking down my Top 7 Motion Decoys for the 2026 duck season.Motion can be a game-changer when ducks are circling, looking, and just need that little extra reason to commit. I’ll go through seven different motion decoys, the brands and specific models, what makes each one useful, and where I think they can fit into your spread.Some of these are motion decoys I’ve personally hunted over and have firsthand experience with. Others are models I haven’t added to my spread yet, but after researching them, they’re on my list of the next ones I plan to buy.This isn't about saying you need every motion decoy on the market. It’s about looking at the different options available and understanding what each one brings to the spread so you can decide what makes sense for the way you hunt.Whether you're hunting public land, private property, flooded timber, marsh, rice fields, or small water, there may be a motion decoy on this list that can help you put a few more ducks in the boat.What motion decoy has made the biggest difference in your spread? Drop it in the comments!

Public-land duck hunting comes with rules—but there’s also an unwritten code. In this episode, we talk about hunting etiquette, ego, competition, respecting other hunters, and what it takes to keep the waterfowl community strong.Where do you draw the line? What’s the unwritten code of public-land hunting?Let us know in the comments.#DuckHunting #WaterfowlHunting #PublicLandHunting #LouisianaDuckHunting